Water motor



April 6,1926. 'A F. L. MCQUlSTQN WATER MOTOR Filed Feb. 26, 1924 7 NVENTOR 9%; vATTORIQYS FRAN/f L. M100/51m April 6 ,11926; 1 1,57%?,723 f F. L.. MCQUlSTON WATER MOTOR Filed Feb. 26. 1924 5 ShetS-Sheei 2 ATTORNEYS WATER MqToR :s Sheng-sheet 5 F. L.. McQuzsToN Filed Feb. 2s, 1924 .Aprl 6 1926. l

, INVENTOR FRANK L. Mc. @umm/v MKM/@DQ ATTORNEYS Patented Apr. 6, 19.2%`

unir-sn sra'rss FRANK L. MCQUISTON, OF REDONDO BEACH, CALIIE'OIR1\`I'].B..l

WATER MOTOR.

Application med February 26, 1924. Serial No. 695,384.

To all 107mm, 'it may concern.'

lie it known that lf, FRANK L. MCQU1S- ron, a citizen of the United States, and a resident oi Redondo Beach, in the county of Los Angeles and State of California, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in wWater Motors, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates generally to iuld current motors, and particularly to water motors, and purpose of my invention is the provision of a Water motor adapted tobe sustained in submerged position in a body of Water and operating to convert the movement of the Water into power for perform ing useiul Work, and in such manner that the motor will be operated when the Water moves in one direction and then the other, or continiiiously in one directiom'and Without the possibility of the motor being dann aged as in storms.

. it is also a `purpose of my invention to provide a water motor which embodies a plurality of Water Wheels rotatable about their own axes and having water operated feathM eringr blades, means. for supporting the Wheels for bodily oscillatory movement, and mechanism by which the rotary and oscilla- 'tory motions of the wheels can be converted into'unidirectional rotary movement for actuating the shaft or other element.

It is also a purpose. of my invention to provide ar water motor which, in additionto having' the desirable characteristics ot' struct-urai simplieity,` durablity and 'efliciency, is capable of being used .in river streams and oceans` and which, vin this latter use, is not subjected to the destructive action of thesurf butl still utilizes the motion of the Water in effecting its operat'on.

I'Will describe-onlyetwo forms of Water mot-ors embodyingr my invention, and will then point out the novell features thereoic in claims. V

1n the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a view showing in side elevation, 'with portions thereof brohcn away, one form of' Water motor embodying my invention;

Figure2'is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 2--2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is an enlarged vertical sectional view of one set of Water wheels embodied in the motor shown .in the preceding views; Figure 4 is a vertical sectional View taken on the line lf-4 of Figure l;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary View showing in 'side elevation another form of water motor embodied in my invention;

Figure 6 is a fragmentary vertical seo-l tional view of the' motor shown in Figure 5.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts in each of the several views of the drawings.

Referring s ecifieally to the drawings, and particular y to Figures 1, 2 and 3, my invention in its present embodiment comp rises a Stationary frame made up of vertical beams 15, 16 and 17, and horizontal beams 18, the frame being of substantially rectangular form and with the' vertical beams adapted to be embedded in the bottom of the body of reiterA which it is adapted to operate 'and serving as a support for the entire motor. Sector gears S and S are suitably secured to the frame and at opposite sides of the central vertical beam 16. These sector gears are made up of annali 19 having metal flanges 20, in which are secured relatively short rods 20 constituting teeth. 1t is to be understood that the sector gears may be constructed in any manner de-A sired so long as the teeth thereof, are disposed upon the inner periphery of the annuli in order to permit the arrangementof gears Within the `annuli and in meshing relation with the teeth.

A carriage designated generally at K is supported' for swinging,lr movement upon the frame bymeans of hangers 21 and'21 (Figure 2) secured to and depending from the Yhorizontal beams 18 and arranged in.

pairs` with the hangers of each pair receiving shafts 22 and 22H. AMovable hangers 23 and 23Pare mounted on the shafts 22, and these hangers are provided with bearings 24 and 24a which receive shafts 25,9116( 25". The shafts 25 and 25 are also journaled lin laearings 26 and 2611 secured to the carriage x. v B v this arrangement it will be seen that the hangers `23 and 23 are ivotally sustained upon the hangers 21 and)21, and that the latter, 'through the shafts 25 and 25l serve to support the carriage K for pivotal movement about the shafts 22 and 22L as a center. It'will be understood that one pair of hangers 21 and 21a and 23 and 23 are arranged at opposite sides of the vertical beams 16 and for the purpose of supporting the carriage K in such manner that it normally occupies a horizontal i position as shown in Figure 1.

Suitably journaled in the beams 18 of the frame is a shaft 27 which constitutes the driven member of the motor from which power is adapted to be taken for performing useful work. This shaft is adapted to be continuously rotated in the same direction, and in the present instance I have shown two separate water wheel units operatively connected to the shaft 2T and operating together to drive the shaft when the motor 1s used in a body of water in which the undereurrent flows in iirst one direction and then the other or continuously in one direction. In the present instance I have shown two water wheel units which are identical 1n construction, with the exception of certain parts' of the mechanisms for transmitting the motions of the Wheels to the shaft 27.

One water wheel unit comprises an upper water wheel lV, an intermediate water wheel lV and a lower wheellVg. As clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 2, these three wheels are arranged-at different levels upon the carriage K and are wholly supported by the carriage K so as to move with the latter. As shown in Figure 3, thefwheellV comprises a cylindrical body 28 the ends of which are secured to flanged disks 29. Stub shafts 30 are fixed to the disks 29 and are journaled in bearings 31 formed on brackets 32 secured to the carriage K. Blades 33 arefpivoted atthe points indicated at 34 to the disks 29 so as to be free tooccupy activeer inactive positions with respect to a body of moving water or what is commonly known as feathering. Subsidiary blades 35 are pivoted to the disks 29 at the points indicated at 40, and these blades are adapted to be engaged by the,

blades 33, whereby the latter are sustained for the proper'interval in active position so to a horizontal position in order that the as to oppose movement ofthe water and thus set up rotation of the wheel as a unit. f In the active position of the blades ..35 they engage the lower edge of one blade 33 and. the inner face of an adjacent blade 33, there-V by holding the two blades against movement force of the moving water may act upon the blades and thus set uprotation of the wheel.

presented to the moving water and thus ocf cupying what I have termed as' the inactive position.

The wheels XV and 72 areidentical in construction so that a description of one will sullice for both. The wheel W comprises a cylindrical body ell, to the ends of which are secured flanged disks 42, and the shafts .25 and 2.3 are journaled in bearings 43 carried by the disks 42. Blades 44, preferably` ot' concave forni, are mounted upon the body to occupy active or inactive positions, and curved deflectng plates 45 are pivoted to the blades at the points 46 for directing moving water against the outer marginal edges ot' the blades 44 so as to secure the'greatest possible leverage, as will be understood. 'lhese blades -l-l are connected in pairs by arms 4T and 4S secured to the blades of any one pair and pivotaliy connected to each other by means of a link 49. The arms 4S are lixedlv secured to the inner edges of the blades 44 and extend into the body 4l through openings 50, their inner ends being operatively connected to each other through the link 49. The association of the arms and link is such that when one blade 44 is in active position, the corresponding blade 44 is in inactive position, and when the active blade is moved to inactive position the inactive blade is moved to active position. In the active position of either blade it is disposed radially With respect to the body 4l of the deiecting plate 45 occupyingr what may be termed a vtangential position with respect to the body 41 so that water impinging thereagainst will be directed to the mar" ginal edge of the blade 44.l In the inactive position of either blade 44 it is folded against the body 41 so as to voffer the least possible resistance to the movementof the water, the deflecting plate being also folded and interposed' between the blade 44 and the "ter to either side of the body, while the blades when in inactive position are folded up against the cylindrical body and, being ot' approximately the same curvature, will function in the same manner with respect to solid matter as the body. Furthermore, y

the blades, when in active position, are free to move with the wheel so as to respond to anymoving solid matter.

The driving of one Vshaft 22 clockwise and the other connterwise, is necessary in order that the oscillatory movements of the earmages may be transmitted'to the common shaft 27. The utility of arranging the wheels at various levels is tovpermit the moving water to act directly on each wheel, and should the undercurrent of the water be greater than the surface current. those".

1 Yiam'rvea wheels near the bottom will be in the path of the undercurrent so` as to be actuated there by. Resultantly, by arrangingI the wheels at various levels any current existingf.;` in a body of water will be intercepted by the wheels injcontradistinction to arranging the wheels at one andthe same level.

From the preceding description of the water wheels of one set it will be clear that because of the feathering action of the blades., the wheels of the left 1hand unit shown in Figure 3 can rotate in a counterclockwise direction only irrespective of the direction of iow of water past the wheels. The blades of the wheels of the right hand unit are reversed with respect to those of the left hand unit so that irrespective of the direction of water flow, the wheel can be rotated in a clockwise direction only.

As previouslydescribed, the waterwheels of both sets are mounted upon the carriage` K and are thus capable of bodily movement in addition to;l being rotatable about their own axes. As the carriage K is free to swing, it 'will be clear that under the action of a moving body of water the wheel-s, in

addition to being rotated, will also serve to swing the carriage in the direction of movement ofthe body of water. To utilize this movement of the carriage in eifecting a pr0 pulsion of the shaft 27, I have provided the following mechanism: This mechanism in/ cludes the sector gear S or S- and sprocket wheels 51 and 52 connected by a chain 53. The sprocket wheel 51 rotates 'freely on the shaft 255 but is fixed to companion sprocket wheels 53 which at all times mesh with the teeth .2l/'of the sector gears. Thesprocket lwheel 52 rotates freelyon the shaft 22 but is adapt-ed to be operatively connected to such shaft when rotated in one direction only through the medium of a pawl and ratchet 54. Keyed to the outer end of the V shaft 22.is a relatively large sprocket wheel 55 about which is trained a chain 56-i`or operatively connecting the latter to a smaller sprocket wheel 5 7 mounted on a shaft 58. The upper stretch of the chain 56 is adapted to have engagement with a sprocket wheel 53) (Figure 4) which yrotates freely on the shaft 27. but is adapted to he operatively connected thereto by a ratchet device 60 and insuch'manner' that-when the wheel y59 is rotated/in a ,clockwise direction` as when viewed in Figure 1, the wheel :will operatev to rotatcthe shaft 27. i

As the vsprocket wheel 5l constantly meshes with the teeth 2l, and the sector gear stationary on the frame, it will be 1nani- .fest that when the carriage K is swung,r in either direction rotation of the sprocket wheel will be effected. However, the d .v' ing; ofr the sprocket'whecl in one direction only iis utilized to propel the shaft 27 through themedium of the ratchet device.

in the opposite direction, the ratchet devices are. ineffective to transmit motion from one eiene'nt to the other so that no operative connection 1s provided between the sprocket `wheeland the shaft 27.

The corresponding'elements of the mechanism for transmitting the motion ot the carriage K to the shaft 2T have been desir nated by like reference numerals havingY cx ponents to distinguish such elementsl from those of the first mechanism. The two mechanisms are the same with the exception that the ratchet device 54a only connects the sprocket wheel 51"L and the sprocket wheel 55a when the former is rotated in a clock wise direction. F nrther, the sprocket wheel 57 is adapted to be operatively connected to the shaft 27 through the ratchet device 6()St only when the sprocket wheel is rotatingV in a clockwise direction.

Fromthe foregoing operation of the two mechanisms, it will be clear that when the carriage K swings lo the left, as when viewed in Figure l', its motion will operate to drive the sprocket wheel 51a, and that the rotational-movement of the sprocket wheel is transmitted to the shaft 2T. When the carriage K swings in the opposite direction, the sprocket wheel 51 is rotated in a counterclockwise direction and such motion is reversed in its transmission to the shaft 27 to rotate the latter in a clockwise direction. It will therefore be seen that according4 as the carriage swings in one direction or the other the sprocket wheels 5l and 5l will operate to rotate the shaft 27 in' a clockwise direction only.

The mechanisms for transmitting the rotary motions of the two sets of water wheels are identical so that a description of one will sulice. As shown in- Figure 2, one of the stub shafts 30 has fixed thereto a sprocket wheel 61 about which is trained an endless chain 62. The chain'62 embraces al sprocket wheel G3 keyed to the K4shaft 2:? so that the rotational movement of thc wheelv lV is transmitted .to the wheel lV.' The rotary movement-of the wheel lVg-is transmitted to the wheel W through a similar chain and sprocket connection designated generally at 64, the upper sprocket 64s of which is keyed tothe shaft 25. wlieel lV is transmitted to the 'shaft 25 and from the latter tothe shaft 22 through a chain and sprocket connection G5. The npper sprocket 65a of this connection rotates freely on the shaft 22 in one direction, but

'is adapted to be locked thereto through a ratchet vdevice 66 when rotated in the' opposite direction. In this manner the rota- Rotary movement of the tional movement vof the several' wheels is transmitted to the shaft 22.

ltroin the foregoing description of the mcchauir-ni for the wheels of one water unit, it will be evident that although the two water wheel units are adapted to rotate in different dirrctions. their motions are transmitted to the shaft 7 in a nrtnner to effect imidirectional rotation thereof at all times.

ln practice, where a hotly of water is moving first in one direction and then the other, the right hand water wheel unit, as when viewed in Figure l, is rotated in'a clockwise direction by virtue of the fact that only the water moving below the axes of' the wheels is acting on the wheel blades to propel the wheels, while in one direction of tiow at' the same time in the instance of' the left hand water wheel unit, the water moving above the axes of the wheels is acting on the blades to propel the wheels ot' such unit in a counter-clockwise' direction. lpon the reverse direction of flow only the water moving above the axes, in the case of the right hand wheels, and below the axes in the case'of the left hand wheels, is operative, the wheels continuing to operate in the same direction as before. Simultaneously with the rotation of the two water wheels units, the vcarriage under the reverse action of the water currents is set into oscillatory movement to rotate. the sprocket wheels 51 and 5l first in one direction and then the other. However, by virtue of the ratchet devices 54 only those motions which will effect unidirectional rotative movement of the shaft 27 in a clockwise direction are transmitted to the shaft.

.Should the wheels of one water wheel unit rotate at a greater speed than those of the other unit, only the motion ofthat unit propelled at the greatest speed is transmitted to the shaft Qt, while the slower unit is allowed to idle.v The slower unit is disconnected from the corresponding shaft Q2 through the ratchet device 6G, because of the fact that the shaft Q12 which remains operatively connected to the shaft Q7 through the sprocket 55 is rotated at a speed greater than the speed of rotation of the corresponding sprocket a. ln a like. manner the ratchet devices 55 operate to transmit the power generated by the oscillating carriage only when the sprockets 51 are rotated at a speed equal to or greater than the rotation of speed of the shafts 22.

From the foregoing operation it will be manifest that only the motion of that unit of Water Wheels or that pair of sprockets 51 having the greatest rotational speed is transmitted to the driven shaft 27, thus preventing the other unit or pair of sprockets from opposin Athe drivingV force transmitted to the sha t. Further, Should the rotational speed of both wheel units be equal, or one pairof sprockets and one or both wheel units equal, they will operate togetl el' in drivingr the shaft '27.

Then the motor is usell in a bodyyor water in which the movement of the water is in one direction only, the carriage K will be swung .to one of its extreme positions and maintained in such position, with the wheels 1V, "W and YW rotating and the mechanisms transmitting the rotary motions of these wheels to the shaft 27.

In any use of the water motor it is completely submerged with the exception of the shafts 27 and 58 and the adjacent mechanism, the water wheels and` carriage being completely submerged and to a depth sufficient to prevent them from being subjected to the destructive actions ofthe surf, yet positioned to respond to the under-currents and thus convert the power generated by such undercurrcnts into useful work. The power generated by the motor is taken from the shaft 27, as will be understood.

Referring now to Figures 5 a d 6, I have here shown another form of ater motor embodying my invention, which is identical to the first form, with lthe following excep-v tions: Instead of placing the sector gears S and i" below the pivotal points of the carriage K as in the first form, the sector gears designated at S2 are arranged above the pivotalv points of the carriage. These sector gears .S2 in the present instance are of semicircula'r form, and constantly meshing with each sector gear is a beveled pinion 67 loosely mounted on a shaft 68 and adapted to be fixed to the shaft through a ratchet device 69, when the shaft rotates in a predetermined direction. The Vshaft 68 is journaled in bearings formed on a lever 7 0 fulcrumed yin a shaft 7l journaled in a stationary beam 72. The lower end of the shaft 70 is provided with' a beveled pinion 73 meshing with a similar pinion T-l'fixed to the inner end of the shaft 71. The lever 70 is providedwith other bearings in which a shaft is journaled, the upper end of the shaft being provided with a pinion 76 meshing with the pinion 7st. The lower end of the shaft 75 is provided with a pinion 77 meshing with a pinion 78 adapted to be secured to a shaft 79 through a ratchet device 80 when the shaft is rotated in a predetermined direction. This shaft 79 corresponds to one of the shafts 25 in the first form of my invention and is adapted-to be rotated by the water wheels W, W and 1V, The shaft 71 corresponds to one of the shafts'l 22'in the first form of my invention and carries at its outer end Va sprocket Wheel 55 which is` adapted to be secured thereto through a ratchet device 81 when the shaft 71 is rotated in a predetermined direction.

From the foregoing construction it will be clear that. oscillatory movement of the.. carriage K will rock the lever 7 0 about theV rotatingin a predetermined direction opcrates the shaft 68, which latter in turn operates the shaft Tl which will rotate the sprocket wheel 55. The motion of the water wheels is transmitted to the sprocket 55 through the shafts -75 and 7l, as will. be understood.

Although I have hereinshown and described only two forms oai water motor embodying my invention, it is to be understood that various changes and modifications may be made herein without departing from the spirit of the invention andthe spirit and scope of the appended claims. .What is claimed is:

1. In a Water motor, a stationary frame, a carriage mounted for oscillatory movey ment on the frame, and a plurality of water wheelsv arranged at various levels on the carriage.

2. In. a water motor, a stationary frame, a 'carriage mounted for oscillatory movement in the frame, a. water Wheel on the carriage, a sector 'gear fixed to the traine, a gear mounted on the carriage and meshing with the sector gear, so that when the carriage ismoved the gear is rotated, a shaft 'mounted on the frame, and means for transinitting the motions of the gear and wheel.

to said shaft so as to rotate the latter in one direction only. 't

3. Inha Watermotor, a stationary frame, a carriage mounted for oscillatory movement on theHrame, a plurality of Water Wheels arranged at various levels on the carriage, a sectorgear fixed to the frame, a gearmounted on the carriage and `mesh.- ing Withthe sector Lfear so that when the carriage 4is moved the gear' is rotated, a shaft mounted on the frame, a'nd'nieans for transmitting the motions ot' the ,eearand wheel to said shaft so as to rotate the latter in one direction only.

MA, water motor comprising water wheels arranged in sets, means for supporting the Wheels of both sets for rotary movement about their .own axes and bodily os- A,cillatory movement about a common axis,

a rotatable member` and means operating to convert the oscillatory motion et the Wheels of both sets into rotary motion and transmit the motion to the rotatable. member in such manner that when-the Wheels move bodily inone direction and then the other the rotary and oscillatory motions of one set and then the other will be transmitted to the rotatable member to rotate the latter in one directiononly.

5. A Water motor as embodied in claim 4. wherein the Wheels of each set are disposed at different levels, with respect to each other,

and meshing with the sector gears so that when the carriage is moved the `gears are rotated, a shaft mounted on. theiframe, and

means for transmitting' the motions ot the gears to said shafts so as to rotate the latter in one direction only.

7. A Water motor comprising a stationary frame, av carriage sustained tor oscillatory movement on the frame, sector gears fixed to the frame, gears mounted on the carriage and,meshingI with the sector gears so that when the carriage is moved the fears are rotated, a shaft mounted on the traine. means 'for tnnisi'nitting the motions of the gears to said shafts 4so as to rotate-tire latterin one direction only, comprising a pair of shafts, sprocket connections between said gears and shafts, ratchet devices associated with said connections for transitiittingir nioton to said shafts inpredetermined directions, a counter-shaft mounted in the frame, a chain and sprocket connection between one of said shafts and the first shaft, a ratchet device. associated with said chain and sprocket connection for transmitting niotion thereof to said shaft in one direction only,y a chain and sprocket connection between the other of said sl'iat'ts and the counter-shaft, a sprocket onthe lirst shaftV movable means to said shaitieoY as to rotatethe latter in one direction only.

9. In a Water motor, a stationarf;` traine, a carriage mounted for oscillatory moveinen-tin the lra1ne,'a plurality of water wheels arranged at various levels on the carringe, movable means on the carriage and stationary means on the 'frame coactinp, to rotate the movable means when the carriage is oscillated, a shaft, and means for transmitting the motion of said Wheels and inovable means to said shaft as to rotate the latter in one direction only.

10. A Water motor comprising a stationary frame, a carriage sustained for oscillatory inovementY on the frame. water wheels 5 the lutter in one direction only. il

rotatable on the curi-inge und movable bodily lo oseillzxte the carriage, :1 shaft, and means for transmitting the movements of the wheels und eax-ringe to the shaft to rotate wheels of each set operatively connected to euch other -and to said Shafts, and ratchet'lo' devices for transmitting the motion of the \`vnte1 wheels to said shafts inone direction only for one set' of Wheels and in the other l1. A water motor as embodied in claiin; tdirection for the other set, of wheels.

7, in which water wheels are mounted upon the carriage und arranged 1n sets, with the FRAN K L. MCQUISTON. 

